Everything Red
by Galbert-Kun
Summary: A new year engulfs Degrassi. New drama and romance et al. Old flames possibly reignited and a new guy that eyes Clare wishes that K.C. was gone and will resort to a grotesque method to do so. Will they be prepared for the whirlwind? *Complete*
1. They Face

Disclaimer= **I do not own Degrassi.**

**

* * *

**

There was a carnival that happened over the summer before the new school year started ad everyone was there. You had Riley smashing hammers, Sav almost getting knifed by Holly J, Anya with a snake around her neck and Fitz acting a fool. We also saw Dave, excited about his prospects of kissing Alli, getting sidestepped by that new cat Drew. What people saw that was really apparent was a few people that we all know and love get placed into some interesting situations. We move on to the first week of school, where it's the end of a hectic first week and K.C. is walking through a fence to find a girl in a hoodie that has her head down. Both agreed to meet up at the ravine.

_The girl who doesn't know her own secret…_

"What's going on Jenna?"

"Hey K.C." Jenna continued to look at the ground, unable to look at K.C. to tell him the shocking news. "The crazy people are going to be here soon, so whatever you have to tell me, you should tell me soon." Jenna took off her hoodie to finally face K.C., who was taken aback by the state of her complexion. "What happened to you, your face has charcoal black bags under the eyes - - "

"Remember when I went to the 'States over the summer for about a month or so?" _She NEVER interrupts me… Oh man, something is definitely up. I mean, she did manipulate me into pressuring Clare to help me on that test… If its that, then I can live with it; 3 strikes and you're out right? OR… no way, don't tell me that Jenna PLEASE!_ "Yeah, we hardly stayed in touch for that month, no stat updates, PMs, tweets, nothing."

"We had the craziest parties stateside; I didn't even know they knew how to party that hard - -"

"Get to the point Jenna."

"I was really drunk and there was a dirty dancing contest… Now everybody at that time was really drunk, mind you, so don't get mad at me for that." _I'm not mad at you for that Jenna. You're going to say what I think you are going to say and that is freaking me out!_ "I did not have a partner until this guy named Pablo came up and asked me to dance with him, which I accepted. We danced well enough to win the contest."

"… Pablo and I really got into it and after the contest was long over, we went to some private pub for more drinks. When the night was over and we said our goodbyes, he kissed me on the cheek… My mind acted on its own and I felt myself pulling him close to me and kissing him on the lips." A teary-eyed Jenna waited anxiously for K.C. to reply angrily, but he remained cool and calm. "That's alright, thank you for being honest with me - -"

"There's more." _What the hell, what do you mean MORE? _"Huh?"

"I woke up in the morning in my room next to Pablo." K.C. had to restrain himself from calling her all of those names, so he just walked around the ravine and took deep breaths, kicking some tires and throwing a rock at the van. "You had SEX with him? What the hell were you thinking - -"

"I'm so sorry baby; I don't know what came over me." The damage was done. "How can you do this to me Jenna? I dumped Clare so I can be with YOU and THIS is how you thank me, by having SEX with some random guy? I don't even know what to say to you."

"Please don't dump me K.C., I promise that it will never happen again." K.C. wasn't having it, shooing Jenna's hand away. "I'm breaking up with you Jenna. I can never trust you again - -"

"Please K.C., don't do this to me or my ch - -"

"Your WHAT?" K.C. could not believe what he was hearing. "I'm pregnant K.C.; I have a baby growing in my belly that will be born 8 months form now. I didn't even know I was pregnant until recently when I was hanging out with some of my girls. I threw up, took a test and it came back blue." K.C. had to sit down and steady himself in order to process all of the information that was said to him. Was he really going to be a father NOW? "I know what you are thinking: Oh my gosh, I'm going to be a dad! NO, YOU'RE NOT; Pablo is the father of my child." K.C. covered his face, not wanting to see the girl that was dropping anchors his feet. "I'm going to be moving to the 'states tomorrow, so that's why I texted you to come meet me here so we can talk. I'll be at a private school for the rest of the year, debating about whether or not I should keep my baby - -"

"There's no way you can get an abortion Jenna; that is not ethical."

"What's not ethical **K.C.** is having feelings for your ex-girlfriend while in a relationship with another girl. I'm not stupid because I have VALUES. Why would I get an abortion and risk family exile. I'm not getting an abortion, Pablo and I will raise our baby together." Jenna got up to leave, but turned to look at K.C., who was on the verge of crying. "Get it together kid and go back to Clare because you two were meant to be together." Jenna hugged K.C. for the final time, leaving him crying like a baby. So she didn't know her own secret until she ralphed huh? Alcohol sure does some interesting things to you, making you behave in funny ways et al. The effects of your gooning can be long term because even if you are trying to prevent something bad from happening, your potential significant other does not see it that way and will perceive you and it from all the booze you drank from a big casino cup.

**

* * *

**

[ _2 days before_ ]

It was a new start for Clare. After an eventful summer which saw her doing tarot card readings to people, she found that a fun hobby and to her luck, a club called "People with Weird Hobbies" formed so she went to the inaugural meeting. After going around the circle, it was Clare's turn to introduce herself to everybody. "Thank God I don't stutter; wait, did I ever stutter? Anyways, I'm Clare Edwards and I'm a nerd. It may not seem like it, but I love to read books and play Risk. My weird hobby (although I do not consider it one) is doing tarot card readings to people. Clare was instantly popular with the entire club, doing everybody's reading at the end of the meeting. The last person to get a reading was a familiar one. "Okay, let me see your hands." The guy could not contain his smile. "You have soft hands Clare."

"Thanks, um… Do I know you from somewhere?"

"You did my reading at the carnival over the summer?" Clare tried to remember what happened at the carnival. She had a blast at the carnival from getting Connor dunked in water to the mirrors. The name of this guy… what was it, she wandered? "Here's a clue Clare; there was a book that had my name in it… - -"

"ELI!" Clare analyzed profusely for not remembering Eli's name, but he wasn't bothered by it. "Since I got here late for the meeting," Clare said trying to ease the phantom tension in the room, "I didn't get to hear what your hobby was."

"Oh yeah? Here it is then: my name is Eli and my weird hobby is studying history."

"You consider that 'weird,'" Clare told him, "people make careers at studying historical stuff - -"

"Maybe I said it in the wrong way… I like to collect Viking stuff."

"So you are into Norse mythology?" Eli then went into a passionate diatribe about the Vikings, telling Clare about the myths et al. She seemed interested because she did her own research about tarot cards, thus could empathize with Eli about history. "Its getting kind of late; do you still want me to do your tarot card reading?"

"Absolutely Clare! But hold on though." Eli got up to head to the cabinets in the room to fetch an item. "I'm going to need for you to close your eyes for a moment." Clare closed her eyes and when told to open them, she felt that he head grew heavier. "What did you put on my head Eli," Clare wondered, feeling the hard covering and what seemed like thick nail tops. "What you have on your head is one of many types of helmets the Vikings wore during the Viking Ages. When people think of the Viking helmets, they immediately think of the horns."

"Those particular horns are of the thickest variety." Clare was clearly impressed, imitating a Viking yell and challenging Eli to a duel. The tarot card readings were the last thing that crossed Clare's mind because she was having too much fun doing stuff like summoning her inner Viking girl. "Sun's going down fast Clare, do you still have time for the reading - -"

"Yeah, I still have time, let me see your hands." Clare grabbed hold of Eli's hands and did her thing, whatever it is that people like that do. "Wow," Clare said showing Eli a familiar card, "you remember this card?"

"Psshh, do I remember that card… _Uh_ doesn't that card mean that I will fall in love with a girl?" Eli stared into Clare's face, her lips glossed up, blue eyes shining brightly and braided hair being twirled around by her as a very obvious sign of flirting. Just as their faces were getting closer, Eli's phone rings. "I'm sorry Clare," Eli says, "that's my ride. I had fun getting my reading done again; perhaps we can converse again sometime, maybe over some coffee?" _Damnit, I stepped up too soon! She's definitely going to say no_ - -

"Sure Eli, that sounds like fun." Clare and Eli quickly exchanged numbers and said their goodbyes. "ELI!"

"Yeah?"

"Your Viking helmet?" Eli thought about it for a minute and then smiled. "Keep that one, I have a large collection of them at home."

**

* * *

**

_Clare and Eli get close? Next chapter: happiness for Celi… dark times for K.C.?_


	2. Heartpain Fears

Disclaimer= **I do not own Degrassi.**

**

* * *

**

Why would ANY girl in their right mind to what Jenna did to K.C.? Her actions further proved everyone's long-standing predictions of what kind of person she truly was… Anyways, K.C. is hurting badly right now, as would anybody if they lost the chance to be a father and if they lost the girl they were starting to fall for. That last comment by Jenna really struck a chord through K.C. _Go back to Clare because you two were made for each other. _Aside from that, he was still reeling from Clare's last comment to him. _You don't know what you want._ K.C. shook his head, wanting to tell her his reply. Getting back to more emotional matters, who could he possibly talk to that would understand what he is going through? It surely could not be Connor, Wesley, or Dave because they would immediately tell Clare. Telling Clare would make things more severe because K.C. felt like she would only regard him as a friend and thus treat him as such. Even though romance should be FAR from his mind, he desperately wanted Clare back, so K.C. opted to talk with Ms. Sovet, knowing that their conversations would be confidential.

**xxx **

While K.C. was trying to get over his ordeal with Jenna, Clare and Eli frequently interacted. Their coffee date led to several more dates and their latest date was where things heated up between them. "Is this heat enough Clare, or should I add more coals to the fire?" Clare snuggled around on the couch and told Eli to add more coals. He dutifully obliged and soon after immediately returned to cuddling with Clare under the blanket. "Who knew that you could read books on a laptop while the pages were projected on TV?"

"You would be surprised how far technology has advanced." Clare and Eli listened to the narration of the E-book while cuddling at the same time. "Your family makes the best pecan pie."

"That's my mom for you Eli, ever the perfectionist she is…"

"It makes things more special when two people that care for each other are snuggling together by the fireplace, listening to a narration of their favorite book - -"

"Are you referring to us?" Eli stroked Clare's hair as he kissed her forehead. "Of course I am. I'm sure you are relishing this moment…"

"Yes, I've never felt this way before… Who knew you could be such a romantic person Eli? I would think girls would find someone like you undateable - -"

"Would it be fair to say that you are challenging that perception?" Clare playfully punches Eli on the chest, but he keenly anticipates it by grabbing the clenched fist, opening it up and holding hands, making her blush. "I-I wow, um, I didn't know that I had that kind of side."

"When you are comfortable with someone, your true feelings always come out."

"What are you trying to say Eli?" Eli was momentarily stuck. The girl that he wanted since they first met at a carnival was inviting him to ask _that_ question. He's stuck because he doesn't want to say it in a way that would deem him weird and/or creepy. "What the hell," thought Eli, "she digs Vikings, so if I ask her in an unorthodox manner, she could perhaps be swayed by it - -"

"Are you okay Eli?"

"I'm quite alright," he said, placing two fingers on her chest, "I wanted to find the right route to your heart, but your beautiful blue eyes forced me to take a detour." I'm not sure if Clare could smile and blush any more than what she did, but she did just that as her eyes locked to Eli's, as if to say, "go ahead and ask me because I will say yes in a heartbeat." Eli got the memo. "Clare, um, we've been spending a lot of time together lately and every moment that I'm with you, I enjoy it very much."

"That's good, keep going…"

"I would like to keep spending time with you as we have been doing…" _Spit it out Eli, how many hints does she need to give you?_

"I want to keep spending time with you because I really like you Clare, so I would be honored if I can call you my girlfriend…" Clare didn't say anything at first, only twirling her hair and blinking her eyes in purported confusion. "I'm sorry, I said it too soon - -" Eli turned away, eyes clamped shut, but Clare put his arms around him. "What is this, I thought you said no?"

"When you make a girl very happy Eli, asking her a question like that will yield a variety of reactions. I've never been romanticized like this, so please excuse my reaction." Eli was relieved and with a slightly broken voice, he said, "Getting back to the question - -" He turned to face Clare, who covered her mouth with her hands. Sensing an opportunity, Eli kissed Clare's forehead again, but she pulled away, essentially saying something along the lines of "wrong spot." Eli went in again, this time touching her nose with his. Clare's breathing became labored, which told him he was getting warmer. He finally used his thumb and index finger to grab Clare's chin to kiss her on the lips. After what seemed like an eternity, they both fell back and Clare finally said the answer Eli yearned to hear.

"I would very much enjoy being your girlfriend."

**

* * *

**

_E-Clare is finally a couple… How will K.C. react to seeing them together? Next chapter: Eli's darker side? K.C. to experience more pain?_


	3. Fight Rip Torn: Crimson Mess

Disclaimer= **I do not own Degrassi nor do I own quotes by Milly Queenie and Arnold Schwarzenegger. I also do not own any info posted on Wiki.**

A/N= **JSYK, this chapter is going to get graphic. With that being said, this chapter will be rated M.**

**

* * *

**

No more can there be separate discussions about both Clare and K.C. like there was before. Since Clare and Eli were now a couple, K.C. would eventually see them looking happy. He would see them holding hands and maybe show large PDA. It would be a struggle to move on from what happened with Jenna to now seeing his ex-girlfriend happy with a new man. K.C. would be ready to talk to Clare when the time was right. For many nights, he would have recurring dreams about how he and Clare were together again. It usually ended the same way, with Clare disappearing and K.C. exhausted after chasing her to no avail. The dimension would whiten and he would be in thought, I mean have some thoughts. _I miss her so much… how could I be such a fool and choose someone else? Her kindness, assurance, and joviality were second to none. If I could say something to her, I would say…_ That's usually how the dreams would end, with that thought and K.C. waking up in a cold sweat.

XXX

The day started like any regular day for K.C., seeing as he overslept by a few minutes. Skies were clear, as was his mind. For the past few nights, he had slept well and with that, had a feeling that today was going to be a great one. K.C. didn't think too much of the first glaring sign because it was only a male squirrel giving an acorn to a female squirrel, who showed her gratitude by "kissing" the male. He saw Dave and co, and they all headed to the cafeteria for some breakfast. It was after K.C. got his food when it happened. After picking up his tray, he saw Clare kiss Eli and it was as if he could feel his eyes darken. All of the positive vibes he had ended when Clare gave Eli one of those "I want more" kisses, without the "more" part actually given. For what seemed like half a minute, K.C. had flashbacks of dreams he had from the previous nights. _Clare, I finally have an answer for you! What I want to say is that I - -_. K.C. didn't wake up from that in a "cold sweat" but rather slipped on a banana peel…

XXX

Clare and Eli had gotten to the cafeteria early to get cinnamon sticks. "Being the first one to access the food in the morning guarantees us the freshest batch."

"I never knew cinnamon sticks tasted so good!" Clare beamed as she dunked her sticks in the gooey syrup, much to the pleasure of Eli, who had tried valiantly and successfully got Clare to try them. Time seemed to fly for the new couple. The common sentence is quite appropriate for them: Eli's goons, er, friends slapped him on the back for having a very beautiful girl wrapped around him and the women feigned jealousy due to the fact that Clare would not stop smiling. They were soon nicknamed "The Earlybirds" because they were early for EVERYTHING school-related, so their peers weren't surprised this particular morning to see the first people eating breakfast in the cafeteria were TE. After finishing eating, Clare convinced Eli to spend a few more minutes fooling around with the tarot cards. When the familiar "Two Lovers" card appeared, Eli did his trademark winking and Clare gave her man that "I want more" kiss. After pulling back, they blushed in unison, but that was short-lived because they heard a sneaker screech and a loud crash. Everyone turned to see K.C. get up and brush his shoulders off; not wanting to make it seem like E-Clare put him in a love-hurt daze. Embarrassed, K.C. quickly walks past the tables, quickly glancing at Clare (who did not look at him) and at Eli, who glared at him and also held a card that had an eagle drench with blood on its wings as if to say, "keep your distance or else this will happen to you." K.C. gave an equal glare back, a femto-length staredown that the few people that caught it, were forced down as a result of the tension it created. Clare kept her face hidden, not wanting to look at the icy glares for fear of frostbite.

**

* * *

**

K.C. grew increasingly suspicious of Eli. It was understood that TE loved tarot card readings, but what happened at the cafeteria disturbed him. Why did Eli carry a card (that likely wasn't apart of the deck) of an eagle with bloody wings? As he would later look back at, it was (at the time) to possibly foreshadow a sadistic outcome. K.C. actually talked to Clare a few times, trying desperately to warn her of a "dark side" Eli may have.

"There is nothing wrong with Eli; he treats me like a Queen."

"I'm telling you Clare, something is up with the guy - -"

"Let me reiterate that NOTHING is wrong with my boyfriend, so quit acting like a jealous ex!" K.C. understood that there was no getting through Clare. "I understand Clare, but let me remind you about my slip in the cafeteria a while back - -"

"You were clumsy as ever then - -"

"LET ME FINISH. Anyways, I got lucky and chowed on a slab of ribs; well I was until a banana peel made me slip. Long story short (_since you probably wouldn't care what my __**real**__ reason was for slipping_), the ribs stuck to the back of my white tee and I saw Eli with a card hidden from your view that looked disturbing. You may think thats not a big deal, but when you have a boyfriend that has card with a bloody-winged eagle on it, alarms should be sounding… LOUDLY. Think about that please, not for my sake but yours." That's how K.C. ended his conversation with Clare, who looked concerned because K.C. was still favoring his back. Clare talked to Eli, who refuted all of K.C.'s claims, telling her that he was just imagining things. "If I had a _dark side_, I would be far away from society."

"Should that comment alarm me?" Clare started growing a little worried with that statement. "Absolutely not Clare, you know I would never hurt you." Clare felt reassured, but a small part of her grew afraid of what could happen. She was a smart cupcake; she felt in that small part of her worry that K.C. was going to get hurt. That small part of her was crying.

**

* * *

**

It was the middle of the day on Saturday and we find K.C. walking around Degrassi's halls aimlessly, worried that Clare was going to get hurt. The worry turned to anger as he found Eli's locker, caving it in with a single punch. "If I ever find out that he hurt Clare, I'LL - -"

"You'll do WHAT exactly?" K.C. narrowly avoided a punch to the back of the head by Eli, who looked enraged. "You idiot, you ruined my locker - -"

"Break up with Clare."

"Why would I do that?"

"Why," K.C. retorted incredulously, "you are going to hurt her. I know all about your dark side Eli and if you don't tell Clare about it, I WILL!" This time, an Eli punch connected on K.C., a right hook to the nose, moving it a quarter inch to the left. As would be expected, K.C. languished in nose pain, to which Eli took advantage by hitting him in the back, knocking him unconscious. When K.C. woke up, he immediately felt pain in his hands and feet, as well as a brisk wind. "YOU BASTARD ELI, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO ME - -"

"Lets continue our fight." K.C. could not get up, and screamed to Eli why can he not. "Simple, I nailed your hands and feet with railroad track nails to this rooftop. You will not be able to move."

"Why? All I asked was for you to be honest with Clare - -"

"ALL YOU DID was try and mess up my life…"

"Let me tell you something K.C.: the meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve and to **conquer**." K.C. was shocked, calling Eli a monster and someone not worthy of love from any woman. "That's your opinion, but you won't be able to tell _anyone_ about this monster."

"Why?"

"I'm going to cut you bloody eagle style."

"!... So that card - -"

"That's right; that was a warning you did not adhere to. Let me tell you a little something about bloody eagle… it was a method of torture and execution that is sometimes mentioned in Norse literature. It was performed by cutting the ribs of the victim by the spine, breaking the ribs so they resembled blood-stained wings, and **pulling the lungs out**." Eli pulled out a black-colored knife from his pocket and showed it to K.C., who was crying, begging Eli not to torture him. "At this stage of the game, its too late for begging because I can't have Clare knowing about the **real **me. You see, I have a knife in my hands that is made of the hardest element on the earth: diamond. Carbonizing the diamond and wielding it in the form of a knife makes the diamond have a more potent cut." K.C. stopped crying, telling Eli that he talks too much. "Go ahead and torture me; justice will be served eventually - -"Eli immediately slashed to the left and right of the spine, commencing the "bloody eagle" that was so sadistic that people believed such a torture method did not exist. After sometime, Eli was satisfied with his work. By this point, K.C. was out cold from blood loss and after each cut, Eli licked his blood off the knife. K.C.'s screamed drowned out in the thunderous rain. Eli got up and circled K.C., whose backside barely looked noticeable. "I was originally going to conclude taking out your lungs, but I don't know… Its shameful that things had to turn out this way, but you would not promise to keep your mouth shut."

"Those who hate most fervently must have once loved deeply; those who want to deny the world, have once embraced what they now set on fire."

"I adhere to violence because the damage it does is permanent." Eli was laughing sinisterly, telling an unconscious K.C. that he is not longer a threat. "With Clare Edwards by my side… Wait before I say that, I decided that I'm going to stab you in the heart with the intention of killing you quickly. Anyways, with Clare Edwards by my side, I'll finally achieve that status I've long yearned for… - -" Before Eli could finish his thought, a bright light engulfed the roof and when it went away, a familiar figure stood behind Eli. "What would that be, recognition? RESPECT?"

"What! How can YOU still be alive… _Rick Murray?_"

**

* * *

**

_Next chapter: Is K.C. in grave danger! An explosive showdown… Eli v. Rick! Also next chapter: Clare's stained tarot card and what that means..._


	4. Fight Rip Torn: Spirit of the Freak

Disclaimer= **I do not own Degrassi nor do I own quotes said by E. Stanley Jones, Coretta Scott King, or Martin Luther King.**

**

* * *

**

Clare was hanging out with her girls, watching movies, playing games, and pretty much just having a great time. What happened with Eli (in regards to his irrational) behavior nagged at each other. "Clare you are spacing out on us, are you okay?" Clare shook her head and nodded yes. "I'm a little fatigued from school."

"You've been making out with Eli too much?" Everyone shared a good laugh as Clare was tossed the chip bag. "Man, we've watched all of our movies, played all of our games, and eaten all of our food and its STILL early for bed. What on earth do we do now?" The sound that the girls heard was Clare shuffling her toast cards. "Clare, give us a tarot card reading."

"Are you sure? You guys don't find it weird, this hobby of mine?" Clare's girls assured her that it was a normal hobby, something that was perfectly acceptable. "Alright, lets do it then." Clare did each girls' reading and it all seemed to go well; but she had a weird feeling in her throat caused her to sweat. _Why do I feel like something bad happened? Is Eli alright… __**Is K.C. okay?**__ WHY AREN'T THESE FEELINGS GOING AWAY?_ As Clare did the last reading, the feelings became increasingly clear. "First card is… success. You will have financial success in your future. That bodes well for you Alli."

"Sweet!" After completing the readings, everyone went to bed and alter on in the morning after the girls left, Clare gave herself a reading and the cards seemed encouraging at first, but when she flipped the last card over, it was the death card. She didn't think too much of it; however, she turned around for a split second and when she had looked at the card again, red blood engulfed the skull, which eventually drowned the entire card. Clare didn't let out a primal scream; it was more of an Alli yelp? "Everything's red on the card." Her instincts told her to get dressed and head to Degrassi.

XXX

It was a chilly Sunday morning in the Q as Clare walked around Degrassi's halls. _It doesn't seem like anything happened… What the heck?_ She saw that Eli's locker had caved in and there was a trail of scuff marks that led to the stairs and eventually to the roof. Clare followed the marks to the rook, which the door was open to. Clare peered and it was like a crime scene because there was blood everywhere. "What happened here?"

"I-Is that you Clare?" It was a slumped over Eli faintly calling to her. He was placed against the wall, but he immediately dropped his head. "You're hurt Eli! You need to go to the hospital - -"

"That will not be necessary." Clare turned to look at Eli's forearm, which had a deep laceration in it. She let out a primal scream that made the birds fly out of the trees. "ELI, YOUR FOREARM! I'M - -"

"Some other people are coming for me and deservedly so - -"

"What do you mean?" Eli began to tell Clare what happened.

**

* * *

**

_The day before…_

"How can you still be alive… RICK MURRAY!" Rick slapped the knife out of Eli's hand and proceeded to punch him in the face sending him flying backwards, back slamming against the wall. "What are you thinking, torturing someone who has done nothing to you - -"

"WRONG! He has done something that is unforgivable in my book… he wants my girlfriend!" Rick thought about kneeing him in the ribs, but thought better of it. "This seems like you have a deep disdain for him."

"You could say that…"

"A rattlesnake, if cornered, will become so angry that it will bite itself. That is exactly what the harboring of hate and retirement against others is a biting of oneself. We think we are harming others in holding these spites and hates, but the deeper harm is to ourselves."

"Why do carry so much hate for a guy you barely know?"

"Isn't the reason obvious? He wants my girlfriend!" Rick really had to restrain himself from punching Eli again. "Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than injures the hated." Rick tries explaining to Eli that engulfing yourself in darkness and living a life of hate is not the route to go, but Eli wasn't having it. "…people don't understand with words. All my life I've tried getting accepted by people, but it was to no avail. No one talked to me, no one recognized me; I WAS A FREAKING GHOST TO THE ENTIRE WORLD! No more, I told myself. No more was I going to feel isolated. That is what drew me to the Vikings. Their savagery spoke volumes."

"So you turned to obsessing over the Vikings and embracing their way of life in order to get noticed? You turned to violence to get respect? That is not the way you earn respect kid. You earn respect by doing good things for yourself, your family/friends and for random people. THAT'S HOW YOU ATTAIN RESPECT. Violence is not the answer, have you not heard that saying?"

"Violence needs to be sometimes looked at as the primary resort." Rick had enough of Eli's shenanigans, barely missing Eli's face, a punch that connected instead to the wall, which now had some mean cracks in it. "Let me tell you one last thing: nonviolence means not only external physical violence but also internal violence of spirit. You not only refuse to shoot a man, but you refuse to hate him." Eli grabbed his knife and threw it at Rick, who used the door for shielding purposes. The butt of the knife hit the door and ricocheted back to Eli, slashing his forearm, causing him to yell in pain. Rick grabbed Eli and shoved him to the wall, knocking him unconscious. Turning his attention to K.C., who was still out from blood loss, Rick pressed his fingers against his neck to check for a pulse. "This kid is still alive…" White lights surrounded Rick, telling him it was almost time to go. "I see… I should probably get this kid to the medical center." Rick careful picked up K.C. and instantly disappeared.

XXX

"So that's what happened." Clare did not care anymore, slapping a severely injured Eli across the face, who did not bother reacting. "I deserved that - -"

"YOU'RE A MONSTER! How could you be so insecure about my feelings for you? I was falling in LOVE with you Eli; little by little, you were making me forget about K.C. - -"

"Somewhere deep inside of you, you were not over him. When he walked past you in the cafeteria, you didn't look at him for fear of blushing." Clare thought about slapping Eli again, but didn't. She was too hurt and overcome with emotional to waste energy on Eli. "First of all Eli, we are through. I cannot be with a guy that resorts to savagery when threatened by another male."

"You cannot break up with me."

"I can and just have. All of these skeletons you have in your closet likely would've crushed me. To think we had a romantic evening by the fireplace… I even flirted with you while wearing your stupid Viking helmet - -"

"The Vikings aren't stupid, they were great people!" Clare disagreed, reminding Eli that they were monsters like him. Eli snapped at this point, getting up and charging at Clare. Luckily for her, 3 police officers tackled him to the ground while a fourth one asked Clare if she was alright. "Yes… Officer, was K.C. Guthrie admitted to St. Mary's Hospital Center?"

"Guthrie you say? Let me think… yes, a person by that name was admitted yesterday and underwent emergency surgery in order to save his life." _His… LIFE! _"Thank you officer." Clare raced towards St. Mary's, hoping to see her man alive and well.

**

* * *

**

_Did K.C. survive the emergency surgery, despite the blood loss? Next chapter= Clare and K.C.'s teary reunion._


	5. Fight Rip Torn: Be Mine Please

Disclaimer= **I do not own Degrassi.**

A/N= **Towards the end of the story, there's going to be a letter that is read to Clare. That letter I found was on a romance website . I switched some words around from that original letter.**

**

* * *

**

Clare was set to jettison over to St. Mary's HC, set to see the man that nearly died as a result of the rage and savagery of his ex-boyfriend. Speaking of that man, as Eli was being whisked away by the cops, he told Clare something that everybody had long surmised. "I'm sorry about what I did. Because I'm so messed up in the head, justice will sentence me to at least 40 years behind bars. Clare, I'm not worthy of your love like K.C. Guthrie is. I didn't cut him in any fatal area, so he'll make it, although the surgery is going to take a toll on his body." Before being whisked away for good, Eli told Clare something that was told to K.C. in regards to their former status: "You two were meant for each other." With that, Clare set off for St. Mary's; off to see her man. When she got to the hospital, all of her friends were there, as well as all of K.C.'s friends and several well-wishers. Peering through the window, K.C. was lying on his back, face down with bandages covering his entire backside. The surgery seemed to be over with when the doctor stepped out of the room. The doctor asked to speak with the person that was closest to K.C. His dad wasn't around, so everyone turned to Clare and she headed with the doctor back into the room to discuss some things. "The surgery went well, Mr. Guthrie has an excellent chance to make a full recovery, providing that he has a good support system around him."

"He'll be recuperating in the ICU for a while. Tomorrow is when we will actually transfer him to ICU so he can begin the recovery process. We are estimating that he will spend at least a month or so in ICU, but depending on how fast his recovery is post-surgery, it could either be a shorter or longer time." Clare thanked the doctor and left the room and eventually the hospital.

The school year was still going, so she tried to visit him at least 4-5 times a week. Clare's workload prevented her from visiting more often, but she made the most out of the visits her schedule permitted her to take. Sometimes she brought K.C.'s homework to him, but mostly she swung by ICU to simply talk, ask how his day was, how the recovery was going, and things like that. Any other person would've not been able to make any time whatsoever to visit a significant other if they took on Clare's schedule, but she was able to do it because it was K.C. Guthrie, the guy she still had feelings for. Despite those feelings that were still felt, not once did any mention of that or relationships in general come up in their conversations. Eventually K.C. made a speedy recovery, much to the appeasement of everyone, including the girl that brought him his last homework assignment for the year. "Come in," K.C. said as he was flipping through the channels, settling for Top 10 plays on Sportscenter. "Whoa I wanted to watch that… hey Clare."

"Had you been at school, you would've done a presentation but since you're not, you just have to write a one page essay about whatever you want to write about."

"I don't have a creative bone in my body - -" Clare gave K.C. a reassuring squeezing of his hand, signifying to him that it was no big deal, that he would be able to think of something. Clare was at the door, getting ready to leave when she looks at K.C., who was reading a magazine. A faint smile of content formed as she slowly closed the door.

**

* * *

**

The school year came to a close and everyone was excited for the summer. Clare and her friends let their hair down and went to Above the Dot and danced for a couple of hours non-stop. After the samba left them a burned calorie mess, they all went downstairs to the restaurant so they can get some food to eat. After the group voraciously ate their burgers and shakes, Spinner called out to Clare to come behind the counter so they could have a chat. He told her that someone told him to tell her that she needed to head to the ravine "for some unspecified business."

"Why do I need to go - -"

"Don't ask, just go. Its going to pay off once you get there." Clare does as instructed, heading to the ravine. There was no one at the ravine from the onset, but a man was becoming increasingly noticeable. "I take it you've eaten dessert Clare?" She nodded that she didn't, so K.C. handed Clare a heart-shaped lollipop. "A lot has happened this year. I almost died and I got my heart ripped out from my body. So many things happened that I do not want to remember it all. Last summer you said that _I do not know what I want_ and you were right. After some soul-searching and circumstances that played out, I believe that I have a reply that will be satisfying for you but first of all, we are going to have to get on top of that car."

"Didn't you just get out of the hospital; won't your wounds reopen?" K.C. assured Clare that there would be no problems, seeing as he put some bricks for stepping supports. They get on the bricks and soon are facing southeast. Clare asks why they are facing that direction and K.C. says that "this is the best spot to catch a sunset." As she was wiping tears from her eyes, K.C. produced a piece of paper from his pocket and proclaimed said paper to be the best assignment that he's ever done. "That wouldn't be the homework assignment I came to the hospital to hand you, was it?"

"Yes and no. Yes because this is a copy and no because its not the one I turned in."

"Can you be specific?"

"This is a letter I wrote to someone I care about deeply. This person means so much to me that I had to write down my feelings for her on paper. Go ahead and watch the sunset while I read the letter to you." Clare snuggles near K.C. as he begins to read the letter:

_Dear Clare:_

_I miss you. I want to be with you and hold you. I want to gently touch your face and cup your cheek in my hand as I look into your beautiful blue eyes. I want to snuggle and cuddle with you and just be close to you. I want to rub your leg and stare across the couch as we talk about our feelings for one another. I want to hold your hand across the table at a restaurant. I want others in the restaurant to be jealous of our intimacy and our tender passion for one another. I want to lie next to you in front of a fireplace and gaze into your eyes while I rub your back. I want to romance you like you've never been romanced before. I want you to know how beautiful you are in my eyes. I want you to know how much I cherish and adore you. I want it all but most importantly, __**I want your heart.**_

_Yours forever, _

_K.C. Guthrie_

"As you can see, it wasn't very good - -" Clare grabbed K.C.'s face and planted him an "I need you" kiss on the lips, a kiss that K.C. returned back with the same amount of fervor. "That was the most beautiful letter I've ever had read to me. You've always had my heart K.C., you know that."

"That means you'll take me back?"

"Take you back? **I've always been yours.**"

**

* * *

**

_K.C. continues his recovery and moves on with his life, with Clare at his side, together again, always and forever._

**- FIN** -


End file.
